Woman who had 64 capsules inside her, had been asked to ingest 100, court hears

A woman of Kenyan origin, charged with importing heroin, knew she was carrying 64 drug-filled capsules inside her body but did not know what type of drug she had ingested, an inspector told a court yesterday.

Police Inspector Norbert Ciappara, prosecuting, explained how once an X-ray revealed that Winnie Wanjiku Kanmaz had capsules inside her, she admitted to swallowing 64 capsules containing drugs but did not know what drug they contained.

She said that an Arab person had asked her to ingest 100 capsules, in order to import them into Malta, but she only managed to swallow 64.

Inspector Ciappara testified before Magistrate Saviour Demicoli in the compilation of evidence against Kanmaz, 32, holder of a Turkish passport, who is pleading not guilty to importing heroin into Malta on November 10.

Kanmaz, who is represented by Dr Richard Sladden as legal aid, is also pleading not guilty to the possession of the drug in circumstances denoting it was not for her personal use and conspiring to deal in the drug between September and November this year.

Inspector Ciappara explained how while he was investigating the importation of drugs from Turkey into Malta, he was informed that an African woman was to be the courier.

On November 10, police observed Kanmaz enter Malta, on a flight from Istanbul, and pass through the green channel. She was the only passenger who fitted the description given by the anonymous informant.

Her luggage was searched and she was told police suspected she was carrying drugs. To this, the inspector said, she replied: "No, you are wrong" and said she had come to Malta for 15 days to learn English.

She consented to have an X-ray taken at hospital. The X-ray revealed the presence of capsules in her body.

Inspector Ciappara explained that Kanmaz was cautioned and she released a statement in which she explained that an Arab man had asked her to bring in 100 capsules inside her body. She eventually agreed to his request but only managed to swallow 64. She also explained that her cover was to be that she was in Malta to learn English.

She was given $400 for the plane ticket and was told that, once in Malta, she would receive more money.

Further investigations yielded information that a dark-skinned man had gone to a Sliema language school and booked a course for Kanmaz.